Thornton, Jessy Quinn (24 August 1810–05 February 1888), pioneer Oregon settler, judge, and writer, was born near Point Pleasant, Mason County, in present-day West Virginia. His parents’ names and occupations are undiscovered. Reared in Champaign County, Ohio, about 1828 he traveled to London to study English law for one year. After his return to Staunton, Virginia, he entered practice with John H. Peyton. In 1835 Thornton moved to Missouri and opened his own law practice at Palmyra. Though busy practicing law and editing a local newspaper, he found time to fall in love....
